Prophecy

Chapter 9: Darkpaw's POV

Darkpaw rolled over in her nest, hearing Tallshadow ask Coldstar where she was. "And you're very sure you haven't seen Darkpaw?" The gray tom sneered. "I would have told you if I knew where she was, but perhaps you should check the apprentice den," Coldstar pricked his ears dominantly. Darkpaw's everything felt sore from when Patchstar woke her up to meet with Eclipsepaw and Feather.

"Darkpaw, you're awake," Tallshadow growled with annoyance. "You could have gotten up any time and gotten your training over with." Darkpaw rolled up onto her paws and grumbled, "I slept really wrong last night. I barely got any sleep." The gray and white tom hissed under his breath and said, "Well, today Coldstar is going to take you for a training session on hunting."

"And why aren't you taking me?" Darkpaw snapped. Her mentor twitched his ears and flicked his tail in shock at Darkpaw's ferocity. "I have a sort of headache today, and I want to know if it's anything serious."

Darkpaw felt glad her mentor was feeling sick, but she knew that feeling was wrong because she learned from the Warrior Code that you can't wish death to your clanmates, or so Tallshadow told her, but she didn't believe that. Coldstar shouldered Tallshadow out of the way a little bit, "Darkpaw, get something to eat. Then when you finish, meet me by my den and we'll head out of camp to the hunting hollow."

Darkpaw nodded and padded out into the clearing. It was sunnier then normal, and Shadepaw was outside the med den with Winterpaw. 'Focus,' Darkpaw's mind voice scolded her. 'You need to eat, then go train, then you can talk to Shadepaw.'

Darkpaw stood over the fresh-kill pile and picked out a thrush. As she ate, Darkpaw heard Tallshadow grumbling to Littleshine about his headache. "I have yet another headache," He growled. "Tallshadow, this is the fifth day you've had this headache," Littleshine flattened her ears with disapproval. "Actually, it's been here for a moon," Tallshadow scratched the back of his neck with his paw.

"And you didn't tell me?" Littleshine hissed, as if she were scolding a kit. Tallshadow just hid his paws with his tail, as if to say yes without talking. "I suggest you lay off training Darkpaw for another moon, and if you start vomiting or having a violent cough, talk to me."

Darkpaw finished up her thrush and met Coldstar by his den. Coldstar nodded as he stood up and led Darkpaw to the camp exit. As they left, Darkpaw saw Icetuft, she and Graypaw's father, glaring at her in the corner of her eye. He was talking to Bramblethorn, who seemed to be the only cat Icetuft talked to when she and Brakenpelt joined the clan. Icetuft wasn't even talking to his own mate, Toadstrike, and he was ignoring her when she was talking.

Coldstar led Darkpaw a few paces away from camp, then turned to her and said, "Let's speed things up a bit," and he started running. Darkpaw raced after him, jumping over every log, stump, and small stream until they reached the hunting hollow. "Tallshadow told me to test your smelling and stealth, because he want's you to 'do a better job' and 'learn not to drag your tail on the ground while hunting'," Coldstar instructed.

Darkpaw nodded and sat down. "So, what do you smell?" Coldstar asked. Darkpaw hesitated for a short moment, taking in all the prey-scents and cat-scents. "I smell...... squirrel, thrush, lots of frog, and," Darkpaw widened her eyes. "Fox scent."

Coldstar remained calm and breathed in, "Yes, there is fox scent, but it is stale, probably from a few weeks ago." Darkpaw sighed and took the scents in again. "Anyways, I also smell rouges, two, maybe three. The scent is fresh. It's not heading toward camp though, so that's a good sign," Darkpaw finished.

The leader nodded. "That's good! Tallshadow told me that you had a terrible sense of smell, and you always picked up the wrong scents," He informed Darkpaw. "That isn't true! I bet it's him that has the bad sense of smell!" Darkpaw hissed and turned her head away, her tail lashing violently. Coldstar flinched in the sudden shock of Darkpaw's rage. "He hasn't always had the best sense of smell, but maybe it's because of his headache. It's the third week he's had it. I fear it's getting worse," Coldstar confessed.

Darkpaw flicked her tail tip slightly and Coldstar nodded, "We best practice your stealth. Tallshadow wanted me to help you with your hunting crouch." Darkpaw looked at the gray tom and said with confidence, "Yeah, let's do that."

The training session was continued, and Darkpaw felt Coldstar was a better mentor to her then Tallshadow was. As the lesson wrapped up, Coldstar asked, "Tell me Darkpaw, how are you actually doing in training? I'm starting to think everything Tallshadow was saying is a lie."

"Does he tell you how horrible I do in training every day?" Darkpaw asked. Coldstar nodded and signaled for Darkpaw to continue. "Well, when he was teaching me the warrior code, he would quiz me after every couple of minutes, and then I would get it right and he'd scold me for cheating. And when we do battle training, he unsheathes his claws and attacks me. He dodges my attacks, and I'm not learning anything!" Darkpaw confessed, showing the leader her ear. "Tallshadow did this."

"I'll talk to him about this when we return," Coldstar smiled at her. "Let's head back, you did good today." Darkpaw felt pride welling up in her chest as the two cats ran back to camp. Darkpaw headed into the apprentice den, and Coldstar headed to where Tallshadow was sitting in the sunlight.

"Darkpaw!" Graypaw greeted her. "How was training with Coldstar himself?" Darkpaw purred with laughter and mewed, "It was better than normal." Icypaw rolled his eyes. 'Rockypelt was his mentor, and she has kits,' Darkpaw's mind voice reminded her. "I wish I could train with the leader! He has yet to give me a temporary mentor," The white-and-gray tom hissed. "I really just wish someone would bother to train me."

"Well, I am exhausted. I was just about to go to sleep," Darkpaw said awkwardly. "Oh come on! You never talk with us!" Graypaw protested. "Graypaw, if she want's to sleep, let her sleep," Icypaw objected. Darkpaw nodded to Graypaw and Icypaw, then curled up in her nest and just then realized how tired she was, as she instantly fell asleep.